What will winter be like in Canada? Farmers' Almanac releases extended forecast
CTV
A whirlwind of rain and snow will blanket most of Canada this winter thanks in part to the La Nina weather pattern, according to the Farmers' Almanac's new extended weather forecast.
A whirlwind of rain and snow will blanket most of Canada this winter thanks in part to the La Nina weather pattern, according to the Farmers' Almanac's new extended weather forecast.
From east of the Rockies to Ontario, about two-thirds of Canada are projected to have below-normal temperatures as the La Nina system is forecast to develop throughout the season, according to the Farmers' Almanac, an online and print weather-forecasting publication based in Lewiston, Maine.
La Nina is a naturally occurring phenomenon that typically happens every three to five years, according to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. With La Nina, the interactions between the ocean surface and atmosphere make the tropical Pacific Ocean colder than normal. The changes affect tropical rainfall patterns and atmospheric winds over the ocean, which ultimately alter weather patterns around the world. While it usually forms during March to June, La Nina reaches "peak intensity" during winter and tends to last one to three years.
Marking the first day of winter, the winter solstice on Dec. 21 is the shortest day and longest night of the year in the Northern Hemisphere. The coldest temperatures are expected to hit areas from the The Prairies to the Great Lakes region.
The new year calls for Canadians to bundle up even more. The frigid air will cause temperatures to plummet the most during the final week of January into the start of February, from the Prairies into the Great Lakes region.
While British Columbia will be unseasonably chilly, Quebec and the Maritimes are projected to see temperatures that are higher than normal.
The eastern third of Canada is predicted to receive above-normal precipitation, especially around the Great Lakes.
